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T-Tapp Tuesday–What Are You Looking At?

August 23rd, 2011

Sorry I was MIA last week!  I had lots of good thoughts but just didn’t get them put into print! :)

 

Today’s post actually came out of my quiet time a few days ago.  2 Corinthians 3:18  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

 

Now what does that have to do with T-Tapp?!

 

Well, I take it from that verse that we are transformed by beholding.  That’s a whole other post!

 

The same principle applies.

 

If I am looking at how far I have to go, what little progress I made compared to so-and so, how much I have to change (eating, exercising, cellulite, body brushing, health choices)…..

 

Beholding means:  to mirror oneself, to see reflected, behold as in a glass

 

In the spiritual sense, we want to be beholding Jesus, His Truth, and become more and more like Him.

 

In the T-Tapp sense ;) we want to be beholding, looking at, reflecting, mirroring the truth–that I can lose this fat/weight/inches/sizes, I can get healthier, I can get rid of this cellulite, I can make better choices in my eating, I can make time for exercise.

 

It all comes down to what are you looking at?

 

And thinking about?

 

Our mind really does have a lot to do with it.  I often can’t teach a whole Total Workout–most of my class is not ready for that, and quite frankly, my adrenals probably can’t handle it!

 

But do I despair and decide I can’t become a T-Tapp Trainer?

 

No!  I can teach the move “mentally”, going through it as if I would at certifications. (That was a great suggestion to me by my mentor, Michelle Barbuto!).

 

I can do 1 or 2 moves a day, talk-teaching them as if I had a class.

 

Sometimes I think we tend to focus on what we can’t do, vs. what we can!

 

You can’t do a standing workout because of a knee, hip or other issue?

 

You can do MORE Chair or SunRay TappCore!

 

You can’t do a Total Workout due to stamina or time?

 

You can get results even with “just” Basic Workout Plus or even splitting Total up over three days!

 

You can’t make huge changes to your eating without getting overwhelmed?

 

You can make small changes–drink a bit more water, 1 less pop or coffee a day, switch to dark chocolate from milk chocolate, use a bit less sugar in those cookies, eat 1 more veggie a day–choose ONE good thing and get started on it!

 

You can’t afford Teresa’s alfalfa (which is the best, imho!)?

 

You can at least body brush (make sure it’s a natural bristle brush), and you can buy dead sea salts at Wal-Mart that aren’t too pricey and do salt masks for at least 5 minutes two to three times per week!

 

You don’t think you’ll ever lose those sizes?

 

You CAN–one step at a time!   If you knew that in 4 1/2 years you would lose 9 sizes and gain better health, making small changes to your eating as you went along, doing basically 15-20 minutes a day for maybe an average or 4 -5 times a week, with some time off—if you knew that here, at the start, would you go for it?  Would it be worth it?

 

Of course!

 

But we don’t always know where the journey will take us.  The best thing to do is to keep our goals before us, but not have it tied to tightly to a time frame.  A general time frame is fine (lose 2 sizes by next summer), but hold it loosely!  Be on the lookout for those things you just can’t measure–better health, better sleep, more energy, happier outlook, less PMS :)…..

 

Be encouraged by other success stories, but don’t compare yours. Yours is YOUR story. It will encourage others, but there might be a special group you are really going to encourage!  (More to lose, less to lose, busy moms, those with chronic fatigue, or adrenal fatigue, slow to lose)

 

I have more to talk about in the T-Tapp Journey, but for now, I ask again….

 

What are you looking at?

 

The answer to that question may determine your true success!  Remember, yes you CAN!

 

 

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Happy Birthday Anna!

August 15th, 2011

I’m a bit late, but it’s still the 15th! :)

 

14 years ago today, God blessed us with our little Anna-Pie!

 

 

 

 

When Anna was 14 months old, right about the time of this picture, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Immune Thrombocytopaenia Purpurea (ITP), a disease where the body destroys its own platelets.

 

 

 

 

 

It was very scary–3 blood draws per week and at least one appointment at the clinic  1 1/2 hours away where the hematologist was.  We didn’t know for sure it wasn’t leukemia until they did a bone marrow biopsy.   It was extra tough as I had just gotten off bedrest with my pregnancy with Rebekah!

 

 

 

 

 

The treatment we chose (we only had four options, and one of those was waiting!) backfired and she ended up with a blood transfusion.  We chose to wait after that.  But it was hard!

 

She got to the point where if she fell down or got hurt, and we asked, “Where’s your ‘outsie’?” she would extend her arm and show you where she usually got her blood drawn!  :(   She got to the point after 6 weeks where she would cry but hold out her arm!

 

The disease was serious–she could have a brain hemorrhage just by crying too hard.  We bought a padded seizure helmet, her “bumper buddy”, to help with the bumps that come with a toddling 14 month old!

 

 

 

 

 

The decision to wait was not an easy one to make.  But our other two options weren’t much of options.  ITP had only been “discovered” about 20 years at that point.  So the options were slim.

 

When we felt the Lord gave us the word to wait, of course we second guessed ourselves.   Then He confirmed it in such an amazing way, there was no doubting it!

 

A dear friend of mine, who had moved a few states away, would call from time to time to get updates.  Last time she’d called was when Anna had to have the blood transfusion.  She had told me about a gentleman about our age, who had never married, but felt God had called him to prayer.  She called me and before I could even tell her about our decision, she told me how this gentleman, Stephen, had asked her how Anna was doing. She explained to him about the blood transfusion and that we were praying for wisdom.  He told her, “If I could say one thing to the parents, it would be to wait.”

 

Can I tell you that I got shivers all up and down my spine?!  I told her that that was exactly what we had felt the Lord wanted us to do, but it was so hard and we were doubting ourselves.  The Lord wanted to encourage us–and boy was it ever an encouragement!

 

Thankfully, after 3 months, her platelets came up for no explainable reason–other than prayer!

 

We are so grateful to all who prayed for her—and I never met Stephen, but I’m grateful for his sharing that with my friend to pass along to me!

 

 

One more blood draw 6 months later, and she was declared clear of ITP and has been ever since!  Praise the Lord!

 

 

And now she is a lovely, 14 year old young lady–loving the Lord!

 

 

 

I love you very much, Anna!

You will always be my Anna-Pie!

 

HUGS!

 

 

 

For more pictures, go to the girls’ blog post!

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–The Enemies of Relationships

August 12th, 2011

Maybe this should be subtitled:  Lessons I learned in the blueberry patch!

 

This past week I was pondering the enemies of relationships.

 

The one that really stood out is Efficiency.

 

Wait a minute!  Isn’t efficiency a good thing?  Get things done in a timely and efficient manner so we can spend more time with our children?

 

Yes….and no.

 

Like so many things in life, we can take it to an excess and still miss the most important things in life.

 

After all, Martha was no doubt an efficient homemaker and cook!  But she still missed “the one thing needful”.

 

The Pharisees were very efficient in their studies of the Scriptures, but they missed Jesus.

 

And sometimes, we mamas can be so focused on getting things done, that we miss true relational opportunities.

 

For example, you might be a busy mama of younger children and not be able to go to the blueberry patch to pick blueberries, but you can buy them already picked at a good price with some other moms.  That’s great!

 

But sometimes, it’s just easier and we never get around to picking blueberries with our children…and making memories.

 

It would be faster and cheaper sometimes to buy through a group, go pick up my blueberries, and then we could bag them together.  And there is nothing wrong with that.

 

But if we are always looking for the “easiest and cheapest” way to get things done, we may fall into a trap of missed opportunities to connect with the hearts of our children.

 

We have picked blueberries at the same patch for 12 years.   I’ve worn babies in carriers or had my older girls (12 and 10 at the time) push them around in strollers, and they remember watching the “little girls” (Anna, Bekah and Charissa) play in these old corn cribs pretending to be animals in cages! We would take a picnic lunch and pick off and on for 4-5 hours.

 

The girls have great memories–and this place is nostalgic for us! :)

 

I’m not meaning to make you feel guilty by any means!  I’m just using that as an example–sometimes there is a time to just buy the blueberries….but other times, it might be time to spend a little more time, maybe even more money….to do something with your children that will stay with them forever.

 

Many moms (myself included) often think “I need to get this done” and just don’t feel they can harness the energy of those little ones. They’re playing happily in the other room–I can get supper on the table faster without them!   But of course it doesn’t last-usually someone needs you before you get the main dish put together!

 

Taking your children with you into your life, your work, will do two things.

 

1. It will say to them how much you enjoy their company, that even though you could get it done faster without them, you wanted their company. (Hmm….wonder if God ever feels that way?!)

 

2. It will train them in lifeskills that they will need, helping things to become second nature and helping your child to become more productive as he/she gets older.

 

My daughters can outpick me two 5 lb. cans of blueberries to my one!   Mama, those years where I picked the bulk of the berries but took them with me has paid off.  Now I better be getting lessons from them!  LOL!

 

Dishes, meals, laundry, gardening, cleaning…you could do it all faster and better.  But you will short-change your children learning skills that will help them become and even feel productive in the family.  Sending them off to play all the time might be easier…for now.

 

I would say most of us understand this in theory, but it is SO hard to do! That’s when we may need to let go of our standard—maybe you could buy berries already picked and get them done up in a few hours.  But then again, maybe you could take the littles to a nice patch, have a picnic lunch, make it a day, even get fewer blueberries picked….and tie heartstrings in a way nothing else would!

 

It is important to get things done, I realize, but it’s more important to spend time with your children, even if it means a chore isn’t done in a timely manner or not as efficiently as you’d like.

 

It can be a fine line between efficiency for efficiency’s sake and efficiency as a good steward.  The key is–does this build relationships, or take away from them?

 

Are you finding ways to enjoy their company while being efficient–or are you pushing them off, using the excuse “if I get this done quickly then I can spend more time with them”?  Because typically, something else rushes in, and then another thing, and then….you get the picture!  The tyrrany of the urgent wins again….and you still didn’t really spend more time with them.

 

So efficiency can be a friend….or a foe!

 

You decide by what’s in your heart.

 

 

 

 

 

(Next week we’ll look at the enemy of Expectations.)

 

 

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T-Tapp Tuesday–Consistency When “Life Happens”!

August 9th, 2011

We’ve all had those times when “life happens”, and all of our well-intended plans just go to the wind.

 

It can be particularly disconcerting when you’re trying to stay consistent with your T-Tapp routine, going well for a little while, and then BAM!   Something comes up that really throws you for a loop, and maybe it’s major enough you don’t know when you’ll be able to “get back to consistency”.

 

Are you doomed to just put on what you’ve lost?  To have to start all over again in a few weeks….or months?

 

No!

 

There are threads on the forums for ways to “sneak T-Tapp in” throughout the day.

 

If you can do at least the “Terrific Three”, you will have warmed up your spine, improved spinal flexibility and joint mobility as well as pumped lymph and worked some muscles!  What are the “Terrific Three”?

 

Primary Back Stretch (PBS)

T-Tapp Twist (TTT)–at least the stretch, and can be the MORE version

Hoedown (HD)–just 1 set (2 is great, but do at least one!)

 

 

Just doing shoulder rolls–the T-Tapp way–can go a long way toward keeping muscles from getting sore, but also to help relieve tension (women tend to hold tension in the traps–shoulder rolls with the thumb twisted to the back wall really help!).   You can do them seated or standing.

 

Maybe you’re in a hospital emergency room, waiting with someone for a test (and waiting, and waiting, and….)   On a quick trip to the restroom, you can “bend it, tuck it, lift it”, clap for 4 counts, pulling thumbs to the back wall, elbows close to body and keeping ribs up.  Then kick out purposefully for 4 repetitions (like you’re kicking a ball–not a field goal, though! ;) ) and then lift touch for 4 repetitions, keeping knee and ankle in alignment.  That will help banish fatigue and soreness from sitting around!

 

If someone else is in the restroom and you’re a little too shy to do all that :D then you can really be sneaky!  Do Butterflies!  I have been able to turn diagonally in a regular stall and still be able to do them.  Now if you are taller with longer arms, you might opt for the handicap stall!   Bend it, tuck it, lift it and really curl that core, pulling belly button to your spine.  Do a set of Butterflies, slow and controlled, no momentum.   Really work those lats!  Keep those arms stretched out like someone is pulling them out of your body, and behind those ears.  Set of 8 little bounces, then do 8 halfway down.  On the way back up the hands are pushing up the h-e-a-v-y air!

 

You’ll be surprised how that will help clear your mind and make you feel better!

 

Of course, Hoedowns are THE classic move, but sometimes there just isn’t a good place or enough time.  But you can do sitdown Hoedowns without too much trouble!

 

Sit up tall and at the edge of your chair.  Knees straight out from the hips, ankles under knees, feet toes forward–no ducks!   Press in lightly with your feet to stabilize your knees from flopping out and to get some lower body activaton in there.  Elbows bent, palms up just like standing Hoedowns.  Open arms out to the sides, tighten tummy  (curl that core!) and lift touch one leg 4 times.   Pretend your foot is h-e-a-v-y, and keep the foot flexed.  Then do 4 on the other side.  Repeat, then do 2 sets of 2 and 1 set of singles–4 each leg going back and forth.

 

Alternately you could just do 8 each side.

 

Don’t think that does much good?

 

There is a testimony of trainer Jennifer Haber who worked with her mom when she was ill in the hospital.  Even though she did the Hoedowns and Butterflies very weakly–her blood sugar came down by 50 points!  You can read her whole story here!

 

What else?

 

Just like Teresa shows in the Yes You Can seminar, you can hang onto strollers, shopping carts, and yes, to some extent wheelchairs (I did with my dad!) with the palms up.  Even the lawn mower!  That gets those shoulders rolled back.

 

A set of Tricep Curls or Hitchhikers are easy to fit in for the arms.

 

And when you’re driving, you can tuck/curl the core, press that lower back against the seat, lift ribs and keep tummy tight.  And while you’re at it–hang onto the steering wheel palms up!  Tighten those lats and inhale big, stretching the ribs; exhale bigger, pulling the ribs in.

 

To release trap/shoulder tension, do a big inhale while you hunch shoulders up, then as you exhale, bring the shoulders down but keep ribs up (this in T-Tapp stance if possible).  Exhale all the way, pulling in those ribs.  Doing that  few times really helps get oxygen in and release that trap/shoulder tension!

 

And just walking, sitting, standing with your belly button pulled to the spine and ribs up, getting your shoulders back in alignment over your hips will do wonders for you!  Keep the chin from jutting forward, and this will help distribute the weight of your head over your spine.

 

There’s also the Mitten Chop Box, which you can fit in in a trip to the restroom fairly easily!

 

I’ve often bent my knees just a little and tuck/curled my core, ribs up, knees out for standing for a period of time–you’d be surprised how much “heat” that will generate all by itself!  LOL!

 

Finally, don’t forget to skin brush.  It’s easy to let something like that go when life goes crazy, but it is good for detoxing as well as just pampering yourself.  5 minutes is all it takes.

 

Especially if your crisis is a health crisis of a family member, you need to take care of yourself, too!

 

Stay hydrated, keep moving, and try to make the best choices you can with food, and you may find you can make it through a tough time without being more sore or out of shape than when you started!  In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out you maintained or even lost through sneaking in moves, with full fiber muscle activation and leverage isometrics!  Or maybe even look and feel better!

 

Until next week–Happy Tappin’!

 

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

 

Here is Michelle’s thread on the forums if you want to read all her tips.

 

And here is Debbie Davdison’s testimony how just doing Hoedowns several times a day during her mom’s hospitalization helped her lose inches from her hips!

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–They Grow Up Too Soon!

August 5th, 2011

 

Cassia, Susannah, Leah, Jessica, Christmas 1993

 

My daughters are always so good about getting pictures up for their sisters’ birthday posts. They go through old pictures, scan them, and make a post, with a picture for every year.

They recently did this for Cassia, then someone put this picture as wallpaper on one of our computers.

 

Cassia is 3, Leah is 8 and Susannah is 5 in this picture.

 

 

Cassia, Leah, Susannah

 

They are now 18,  22 and 19-almost-20!!!

 

Mamas, they grow up TOO fast!

 

 

Jessica

 

I almost have bittersweet  nostalgia seeing the older ones so small again!  I wish I could go back and enjoy them more!  Quit worrying about if I was parenting just so, or my homeschooling was up to par, or my homemaking was good enough!

 

Fifteen years later…..that stuff really doesn’t matter as much!   Oh, yes I know, we  need to educate our children and train them in Godliness, to love the Lord, and we need to keep our homes clean and orderly (well, somewhat….. ;) ), but….

 

 

Jessica and Cassia

 

 

I recently read a devotional by Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies about keeping an orderly home.  It’s true, God does all things decently and in order, but He doesn’t expect us to keep an “orderly” home at the expense of relationships.  As in so many things in life, we add rules and regulations on where He never put any.  We add so many things to our “list of things to do” that we are more focused on the task needing done than the people around us.

 

 

Jessica and Leah, 1988

 

After awhile, our children become a means to an end, instead of the chores becoming a way to knit our hearts together!  We are more concerned about being “efficient” and “good stewards of our time” and such, and we miss the whole point.

 

The point is not for my home to be clean and orderly, everything in its place.  Surprised?!

 

The point is for you to have relationship with your Abba Father and to gently lead your little lambs to Him.

 

 

Dallas, Trisch, Jessica-5, Leah-3 and Susannah-4 months

 

Chores and school can be a part of that, but don’t ever trade “doing school” for relational matters.  Marilyn Howshall has a saying:

 

“Character training adds time to every duty, and every duty should stop for character training.”

 

The problem is, we really don’t want to stop our “agenda” for character training—sometimes because it’s really our character that needs training!  We can become so busy with all that needs to be done as a young mama of littles, that we lose sight of the fact that the chores will always be there….the littles will not!

 

 

Leah

 

Here is a quote from the devotional I linked to above:

 

“I would also encourage you to cut corners—not corners of cleanliness, but unnecessary tasks. I remember when I first started homemaking nearly 50 years ago; I kept to the traditions of that time. Every week, without fail, I changed the bed sheets. We used to take the bottom sheet off the bed and put it in the laundry, put the top sheet on the bottom and a new sheet on the top! That was the norm back in those days. But now we have fitted sheets and it doesn’t work that way. Plus, I don’t believe that we need to change sheets every week. I have digressed from that tradition. If children bath or shower, you can keep sheets on the beds for two or three weeks at a time. That saves a lot of laundry, especially if you have a number of children.”

 

 

Susannah and "Molly"

 

“What about ironing? I also started out ironing about twice a week. I even ironed pillow cases (I had friends who ironed their tea towels!). Help! How did I do that with four children under four and then six young children? I certainly don’t do that now, even though my children have grown. I have better things to do. I try to purchase clothes that don’t need ironing. I iron only what is absolutely necessary. I try to hang up clothes from the dryer immediately so they don’t crumple. I will even throw a dress in the dryer to unwrinkle if it needs an iron.”

 

 

Charissa and Bekah

 

“Remember, you are responsible to keep your home clean and in order, but not to do unnecessary tasks. Make the use of this time to spend more time with your children, reading to them, teaching them and doing creative things with them. That will have far more impact than unnecessary household tasks.”

 

Jessica--a "little shaver"! ;)

 

 

I would highly urge you to go before the Lord, and ask Him for His “pattern on the mount” for your family.   So often we add to our housework, our schooling, our outside involvements out of a sense of duty that God never gave us.   There were many lepers and widows in Elijah and Elisha’s day, but they didn’t heal them all.  Jesus said He had completed the work the Father gave Him to do.  But weren’t there more lepers to be cleansed, sinners to be forgiven, lame and blind men and women to be healed?

 

Jesus spent time with His Father, yes, even after a long night of ministry!   I’m not advocating you deprive yourself and ruin your health, but perhaps write down what all you do in a week.

 

 

Jessica and Leah

 

How much time is spent running errands?   Are you running more than you should?  Has it become a “diversion” to avoid dealing with your flesh?

 

How much time is spent in cleaning that might truly be unnecessary, especially at this stage of your children’s lives?

 

 

Jessica, Leah and Susannah, Easter 1993

 

 

How much time are you spending doing formal school?  Are you adding and adding out of fear, vs. what is “the one thing needful”?

 

 

Jessica and Cassia

 

 

I think one of the hardest things to realize, is how much we parent and homeschool out of fear.  We as women want security, and because of the sin nature, we will try to maintain “control” of situations to help us feel secure.

 

But it doesn’t work!

 

 

Jessica and Susannah

 

Usually it stresses us out, whether it’s the way we like the dishwasher loaded, or the way we want the books to be put away in a bookcase.  Or the way we want to have all the budget nicely divvied out in its place so there are no surprises….

 

Maybe it’s the way you do school.  You can’t let go of a curriculum because you “paid good money for it” or “what will my friends/neighbors/parents/in-laws think?”

 

 

 

Jessica, Leah, Susannah, Cassia

I’ve learned over the years that letting go is the way to peace!

 

Sometimes God has had to pry my fingers off, like a parent does a foolish toddler hanging onto garbage instead of letting go and receiving a treat from the Father’s hand.

 

 

Charissa and "her" baby, Noah!

 

I have had to let go of a lot of “normal ways to do things”.  I have been laid low with miscarriages, health issues, sick parents, a husband with a major head injury…things that kept me from being able to “just push through” and do my agenda.   I had to cry out to Him, to look up for HIS agenda, His plan for my days.

 

 

Jessica and Leah

 

There are so many things I wish I had taken time for!  What was so important, that I didn’t have time to….

 

*write in a journal often what we did, what we ate….things they said…..that would be so much fun to read today?

 

*keep up with reading to them every night?

 

*pray with them as much as I should have?

 

*take them to see grandparents and great-grandparents more often?  (Oh, but we had to do school…..)

 

*take them to the park more and swing on the swings with them?

 

*keep up our hymn singing we started?

 

*make them more doll clothes?

 

*have tea parties with them?

 

*just sit and hold them?

 

 

Mama, my “little girls” are now 24, 22, 19, 18, 14, 12 and 10!!!  This time has flown all too quickly, and although I did do a lot of things well, I have regrets.   No one is perfect, I realize that.

 

But I also know the Lord nudged me different times to focus on relational things that would last for Eternity, and I was “too busy” with temporal things.

 

I wish I had made fewer issues of things, which turned into power struggles, and only made discipline for true issues.

 

I wish I would have quit worrying about what others thought of me, or my homeschooling, or my homemaking, or my parenting…..

 

 

 

….and just enjoyed them!

 

Mamas, take time…take time. Don’t let the tyrrany of the urgent steal your time with your little ones.    Don’t be “too busy” with things God has not called you to do, and be like the parable of the servant in I Kings 20:39-43, who was “busy here and there” and his charge “was gone”.

 

 

Anna :)

 

As the song “Goodnight Kiss” by Steve and Annie Chapman goes:

 

“For I know too soon they’re up and gone, and walking out the door,

 

and I’ll never have a child to kiss, good-night, anymore.”

 

Yes, too soon, they’ll be grown up–and even though they may still be in your home, still love you dearly, still kiss you goodnight and still call you Mommy….

 

 

They’ll never be little again!

 

 

 

Jessica, Leah, Susannah--The Three Musketeers!

 

 

TAKE TIME TO ENJOY THEM!

 

 

Before the time is gone!

 

Isaiah and Charissa

 


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Workout Wednesday–Double Dog Dare Ya!

August 3rd, 2011

My day got rearranged–again!

 

I found out I needed to get a video done for my training, and that wasn’t on my agenda for today.  But I got it done!  Then I did the same workout with a friend a few hours later!

 

I wouldn’t recommend that as a general rule!  My thighs were sure “talking” to me!  HaHa!

 

So what’s my dare?

 

Video yourself doing Basic Workout Plus or MORE!  or even TWO!

 

I am learning so much through the process of becoming a trainer.   After the initial “getting to know T-Tapp” stage (which can be a few months or even longer), you can always “bump” things up a notch by attention to form.

 

I attended a clinic 6 months after starting T-Tapp and I believe it really helped me pay more attention to some facets of form.   Oh, you won’t be able to apply it all!  But little by little it “clicks”.

 

By paying extra attention to my form through videos, I take that to  my workouts, where it’s translated into more toning and shaping.  I have lost all my back fat, br*a  pudge as well as my underarm pudge–my underarms look almost as toned as they did in my 20s!  Not that that was my goal, but I will say I was pretty impressed as they’ve been very pudgy for nearly 20 years!

 

Many trainers offer video review for those of you who don’t live near a trainer to get a one on one session.   Both have their good points!  A video review gives you something to  go over and over, plus you get the trainer’s critique in “writing” to go over as well.   But a one on one session (or even 3 on 1 or a clinic) gives you some immediate feedback.  Plus, if you don’t understand something, the trainer can try explaining or showing you a different way.

 

If you can’t afford either one, you can video yourself and critique it!   No, it won’t be detailed and you might not know how to correct some things, but you sure can see if your arms aren’t really straight when you think they are, or your “ribs up” isn’t very “up”, or your standing leg just straightened on Hoedowns!

 

If you see something and you’re not sure how to correct it, you can always go to the forums to ask questions or search to see if someone else asked the same question.   Everyone there is very helpful, and can point you to a thread, or maybe even one of the trainers will pop in and give you advice.

 

You can also go to a mirror after viewing your video, and get those arms up behind the ears, straight, no cheerleader arms (which I am very bad about!), and see it correctly, then feel it–because away from the mirror you  need to know how it feels to get into a flat back, or get those arms behind the ears, etc.  This really helped me with Plies, where I tend to pitch the shoulders forward and inactivate the lats by dropping the ribs.  I found I didn’t need to go up and down so far with my lower body to be able to keep my core curled and my shoulders back!

 

Of course, “the laborer is worthy of her hire”, and if you can swing a video session or private session with a trainer, I’d go for it!   But if you can’t, or maybe you’re saving up for it, in the meantime…

 

I double dog dare ya to video yourself!

 

‘Cause if you do–it will be a win-win situation!  You can only win by watching yourself and seeing where you need improvement.   But do take just one thing at a time–we can be too critical sometimes!    Just like any other habits you try to instill into your life, changing form by retraining muscles (which like to go the path of least resistance) takes time and perseverance.

 

So, who will take my challenge?!

 

Leave me a comment if you will video yourself within the next two weeks and watch it to critique yourself.    And when you do, please share with me what you discovered!

 

And if I can be any help, just ask!

 

( A note–I am having trouble with my e-mails, so if you e-mail me and I don’t respond within a week or two, please try again.  I’m hoping to get it resolved by this weekend!)

 

 

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Technical Difficulties….

August 2nd, 2011

Not with HomeschoolBlogger, but with another website I was working on, then my ISP quit sending e-mails through, so I’ll have to call them tomorrow….all that to say I’ll be posting “Workout Wednesday” tomorrow!

 

Sorry if you were on the edge of your seat waiting for today’s post….. ;)

 

Thanks for understanding!

 

 

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Happy Birthday, Cassia!

July 31st, 2011

Today, a bittersweet milestone is reached–

 

over half of my daughters are now 18 and over!!!

 

Today is Cassia’s 18th birthday.

 

I love you dearly, my Spicy Girl!

 

May God bless you with His love, His abundant favor,

 

and His Grace….

 

May your life reflect His glory,

 

and may your life be a beautiful fragrance

 

of His grace.

 

 

 

 

If you want to see more pictures, you can head over to the Seven Sisters’ blog!

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–It’s Time to Let Go

July 28th, 2011

 

 

 

Dallas’ step-mom stepped into Glory early Wednesday morning.

 

Times like this make you re-evaluate your life.

 

What is really important in life?  What IS the “important stuff”?

 

Well, if you know me at all, you know I “preach” about relationships all the time.

 

Relationships.  Those are the “important stuff” of life.   God wanted fellowship, so He created man.  He didn’t “need” us.  But He wanted a creature that would choose to fellowship with Him. So He gave man a choice.

 

Man didn’t make the best choice and has suffered for it ever since.

 

Then the Father made a way to reconcile us to Him.  He paid a precious price to redeem us from our foolish choice of self!

 

What a wonderful Savior He is!

 

And yet….

 

I can’t help but think of the parable Jesus told in Matthew 18:21-35.   I used to tell my girls, when they were younger, how the servant owed money that if it were stacked up, would be as high as “the tower”.  “The tower” is connected to a Cargill facility and stores grain to be used for mixing feed.  It is 8 stories high and visible for miles around!   In our rural area, it stands out!  It was pretty new when they were small, and they used to look for the tower on our way home from anywhere and start this litany of “I see the tower!  I see the tower!”

 

So it made a BIG impression on them to think of $20 bills stacked 8 stories high!

 

(Note:  I’m not stating that is the exact amount or how it might look but was using it for an analogy! ;) )

 

That’s how much the servant was forgiven!

 

Then what does he do?  He goes out and finds a fellow servant who owes him $20 and says, “Pay up or else!”   As his fellow servant begs for patience, he has no mercy whatsoever.

 

I’m sure we’ve all read that and thought, “How could he do that?  How could he just be forgiven a debt that he could never repay, and then demand his fellow servant pay a ridiculously small amount?!”

 

Because he didn’t understand mercy.   Or grace.   He didn’t focus on the “important stuff”.

 

I have watched Christians hang onto bitter grudges and hurts, and say things like “They’ll get theirs!”

 

Really–do we want others to “get theirs”?

 

What about “ours”?

 

Oh, that’s different!  WE get grace and mercy!  But “they” don’t “deserve” it.

 

It looks pathetic in print, doesn’t it?

 

Yet that is what we really are saying when we choose to not forgive.

 

And that is usually at the bottom of broken relationships.  Someone is not meeting our needs, someone is not doing what they should, someone else is being selfish and it hurts you….yet God’s grace is there to help you forgive them.

 

It’s not a feeling.  It’s a choice.  But too many of us are bound by our feelings.   And as we’re waiting for “feelings” to help us forgive, we’re getting more bitter every day.

 

Bitterness is not just wishing for revenge.  It can also be hanging onto the hurts.  Which is all too easy to do, especially when the other person either doesn’t have a clue they even hurt us, or they don’t care.

 

But we are commanded to forgive, to let go, to love, to bless and do good to our enemies (Mt. 5:44).

 

If we are to do that with our “enemies”, shouldn’t we do that all the more with our brothers and sisters in Christ?  Especially in our families?

 

This brings peace, rest, grace…unity.

 

And unity is the gift we can give to Him.

 

“That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.” Jn. 17:21

 

 

How will the world believe the Father loved them enough to send His Son, when His children can’t even love and forgive each other?

 

When we keep His lovingkindness, His mercy, before our eyes, it is easier to see how to walk in His Truth.

 

“For Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes:  and I have walked in Thy Truth.”           Ps. 26:3

 

His lovingkindness is also His beauty, His favor.

 

When we keep before us all He did for us, and that we have favor with Him only because of His Son, it makes it easier to trust Him and believe that truly He can work even the wrath of man to praise Him. (Ps. 76:10)

 

Do we really think we can make a difference in an offender’s life by holding him or her hostage to our bitter emotions?

 

Christ died to free us from the shackles of guilt, shame, bondage to sin.  So why do we insist on putting shackles on our brothers and sisters?

 

I told my husband the other day that I think I know what the “unpardonable sin” is.

 

He asked what?

 

I said, “Unforgiveness.”

 

No, I can’t prove that theologically.   What I mean is, first of all, if we don’t forgive, He plainly said He won’t forgive us, either.  (Mt. 18:35)

 

If we are truly His, and we choose not to forgive, we may still “get to Heaven”, but we will live in a self-made hell-on-earth, because we can’t stay in fellowship with the Father Who forgave His prodigal when we harbor bitterness and unforgiveness towards another.  We won’t feel His forgiveness, His favor.  We will also destroy other relationships, because anyone who acts like or reminds us of the one we won’t forgive will evoke a reaction from us.  Or we’re so consumed with rehashing in our minds and to anyone who will listen how that person wronged us.  How we’re justified in feeling this way.  And then we will wonder why certain people have become distant to us.

 

Our hearts will shrivel up more and more as we get more self-focused, self-possessed.

 

“Be careful that you are following Me, and I will care for all else.  Striving is for those who have not yet learned to trust Me.  Anxiety is the affliction of the self-possessed. The godly know their heritage and revel in the protection of their Redeemer.  For it is in the blood of Jesus that refuge is found for every onslaught of the enemy.                                               ~Come Away My Beloved, by Frances Roberts

 

Truly, hanging onto offenses shows a lack of trust in God, and a lack of belief that He is Sovereign.   He could have stopped the offense, but didn’t.  Can He really be God?  (Where does that lie come from?!)

 

By embracing the grace He extends to you, and choosing, in spite of your feelings, to forgive, and instead of rehashing what was said or what you will say when you get a chance the next time, you choose to think of His grace and say, “I choose to forgive them.  By Your grace, I choose to love them”, then eventually it doesn’t hurt anymore.   And you actually DO love them!

 

Jesus didn’t die on a Cross so you could “have the right” to “speak your mind”.  Or to hold onto a grudge and refuse to give grace and mercy when you have received so much more from Him.

 

It’s really a slap in the face to the Glorious Son of God Who died to set you free!

 

We really have no other choice if we truly want peace and to stay in fellowship with Him.

 

It’s time to let go.

 

As you can imagine, life has prompted this post.

 

29 years ago, my step-mother-in-law had heard some things about me that weren’t true, but she trusted the one who told her.   She didn’t know me very well yet.  For close to 2 years, I could tell she didn’t like me and didn’t really accept me as her daughter-in-law.   At the time, I didn’t know why.

 

I had to choose to forgive, to say, “I love her” even when I didn’t feel it one little bit.

 

I’m so glad I did!

 

As I knelt by her bedside a few days ago, holding her hand, not knowing if she even was aware we were there, I thought, “Thank You, Lord!  Thank You that we cleared all that up years ago!”

 

My mother-in-law did say she was sorry, but by the time she did, it really didn’t matter anymore.

 

You see, if you wait for them to “say their sorry and mean it’, they will never be able to mean it enough for you.  You will still be expecting so much from them, and when they sincerely ask forgiveness or apologize, you won’t be able to release them.

 

And your “balance” will be upset.  As long as they were not acknowledging their wrong, you were “justified” in your feelings.  But now they have received freedom from God, if not from you, and their end of the balance has flung to the Heavens.  And you are left with the weight of the bitterness you harbored in your heart.

 

There is only one thing to do.

 

Let go.   Give it to Him, a thousand times a day if you must.  But let go, before it totally destroys you and those you love.

 

After all, when you get to Heaven, and see those nail-scarred hands, just what will be so important to hold on to, when you look into the face of One Who let go of it all…..for you?

 

Remember, it was from His Cross that He spoke the ten words that are our example….

 

 

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

 

 

May you find in Him the grace, the mercy, the strength….

 

…..to let go.

 

For then you will see and know His Truth, and “the Truth shall set you free.”

 

May you be free in Him!

 

 

 

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T-Tapp Tuesday–Workout Wear

July 26th, 2011

Before I go into today’s post, could I ask for prayer?   My husband’s step-mom, JoAnn, is very, very near Heaven right now.  We went to see her but I’m not sure if she was aware of us—she can’t respond.   We know where she is going and will have a joyous reunion someday, but it’s always hard letting go.  Please pray for her passing to be peaceful.

 

Thank you!

 

 

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

 

Ah, what to wear to work out!

 

I started out in my nightgown–that didn’t work out really well.  I kept getting caught up in it!

 

So I went to Goodwill and bought some pull on shorts and a tank top.  I worked out in my living room and pretty much banned the children–mainly because they liked to come ask me questions during balance moves and I didn’t want to fall on them! :p

 

After awhile I lost enough that those shorts were too loose, so I bought some stretchy shorts and nicer tank tops through Blair.  I don’t normally like to wear tank tops, but I would get nearly overheated in t-shirts.   I bought a very lightweight short sleeve shirt to wear over the tank for a little more coverage without making my temperature soar!

 

Then I found moisture wicking workout wear!  Ahhhh!   I bought some pants and one top from Lands End.  They don’t make the style of top I bought anymore, unfortunately.  It was a V-neck, but it didn’t fall away from your body, and it wasn’t terribly snug, yet it fit enough that at a clinic the trainer could see if I was curling my core or not.

 

I know some ladies have exercised in their skirts or loose fitting culottes, and that’s great!  But I will say, as a trainer-in-training, if you go to a clinic, have a private session or do a video review, it is important for trainers to be able to see your knees, that they are adequately bent, and that your core is curled (that your lower back is flattened as much as you can).  If your clothes are too loosely fitting, that can be hard to tell.  It’s the same for you watching yourself in a mirror.

 

For teaching, I bought a pair of looser fitting pants at Target (but they are not moisture-wicking–:(  )   and I wear my black T-Tapp t-shirt.  Although not moisture wicking, the t-shirt must be just the right thickness or fabric or something!

 

Target also has a pretty decent selection of tops, too (usually!).

 

Sometimes at Kohl’s they have some decent choices and often have sales or coupons that can help with the cost!

 

I have a friend who wore stretch pants and a t-shirt with a short jumper over it.  Not long enough to cause her to get hung up in it, but still covered pretty well.  The only thing is it was a bit harder for me to make sure she was curling her core.  I’ve told my friends that come to my classes, they can wear looser fitting workout clothing–as long as they don’t mind me touching them to make sure their form is okay!  LOL!

 

Some ladies like yoga pants, others just stretch pants.  Wal-Mart carries some Danskin workout wear, although you’re at the mercy of their stock as to style, color and sizes!  I do have a few shirts I bought there and they’re okay–not my favorites, but they’ll do when my others are dirty.

 

 

Under Armour also has some higher necked tops–the price is a bit higher, but sometimes a local sports shop will carry their clothing and you can catch sales or clearances.  (Be aware that the homepage has all kinds of workout gear, including sports br*s.  The link I posted will take you directly to the tops page.)

 

I recently found Hydrochic, which is sun-protective water sportswear, but most of their tops are very modest.  They are also pricey!  But if you only wear one for working out, or use it just for when you’re with a class or clinic, it will most likely last a long time.  I might try to combine some patterns to make something similar.

 

I’m kind of partial to this one:  Piper Short Sleeve Swim Shirt

 

They even have plus sizes

 

I’ve not actually ordered any of their products yet, but actually thought they were some of the nicest things I’ve found for more coverage.

 

(Again, the homepage has pics of their mastectomy sports br*s on models, just so you know.  The link above is to their tops.)

 

Of course, if cotton t-shirts or tank tops aren’t too hot for you, you can get them at a local thrift or GoodWill store!

 

Basically just make sure whatever you wear won’t overheat you, will move with you, and won’t get you hung up spending time getting things untwisted or out of the way, or anything that will restrict you–especially on moves like Plies and Lunges!

 

The bottom line is wear something that makes you feel like it’s your “workout wear” whatever you choose.  A nightgown or pajamas can sometimes be counterproductive! :)  It doesn’t have to be expensive or name brand, but wearing something more “official” helps you get a little more serious about it.  When it’s not something you’d just lounge around in, well, just like getting dressed in the morning vs. staying in your pj’s all day, it gives you a different perspective!

 

And please make sure your husband is happy with what you are wearing.    I don’t have a laptop with a working dvd player, so doing the workouts in my room is not an option.  I make sure my husband is okay with what I’m wearing out in the living room around the children.  Same thing when I got to go to Safety Harbor–I did a “fashion show” :D for him and he picked what he was okay with.   And that is my goal–to please him! ;)

 

Here is a KwikSew pattern I found that is somewhat like the Hydrochic tops.

 

Now for footwear–I can’t recommend the Skechers highly enough!   You need a good cross-trainer, with a good platform and a wide toebox–you should be able to flex your toes inside the shoes.  Common error is to “grip” your toes inside your shoes–that will cause pain AND inflammation, which is not what we want!

 

Here are the ones I use (and if you sign up for Shoebuy’s specials, you can get $10 off or 20% from time to time, and it’s always free shipping both ways!).

 

I use my shoes only for T-Tapp, and they last at least a year.   A lot depends on you and how often you wear them.  I recently bought a new pair but apparently have lost enough in my feet that now they are a bit sloppy! So I may need to buy the next size down next time!

 

I hope that gives you some ideas and places to look for workout wear.  If you have any questions, please let me know!

 

Until next week–keep on Tappin’!  :)

 

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